Ducati surprised the racing world when the firm announced that it would step in as the sole supplier for the MotoE World Cup in 2023. The all-electric race series should prove the perfect testing ground for a potential electric Ducati production model based on the Bologna brand’s V21L electric prototype.
However, digital designer Daniel Kemnitz isn’t waiting around for Ducati to develop such a platform. Rather, he imagined a stop-gap between petrol-powered Ducs and the imminent electric revolution. Similar to Kawasaki’s latest hybrid project, the designer’s Ducati Ghost concept pairs an internal combustion engine with an electric battery pack for versatility.
“We exist in a motorcycling world that stands on the edge between combustion and electric”, explained Kemnitz. “My Ducati concept, for clarification, is a hybrid motorcycle, not just in terms of the engine but also in terms of use case.”
Gallery: Ducati Ghost Hybrid Concept
Those preparations would allow riders to seamlessly switch to the electric powerplant for low emissions zones (LEZ) or transition back to the combustion engine for full-fat fun outside of the city. Kemnitz doesn’t just take a page from Team Green, though. The Ducati Ghost may champion the brand’s signature single-sided swingarm, but the telelever front end is clearly inspired by the BMW’s R 1250 GS.
Staying at the fore, the perimeter front brake disc draws from Erik Buell’s designs (Buell and EBR), and the headlight cluster resembles Yamaha’s MT family. Further aft, the slotted disc wheel looks similar to the rear wheel found on the MV Agusta Rush 1000 super naked. While Kemnitz adopts design ideas outside Ducati’s repertoire, the transverse parallel-twin seems like very anti-Ducati move.
Ducatisti have gotten over a Monster without a trellis frame and non-Desmo valvetrains, but the L-twin is so tied to the brand’s identity that a parallel-twin seems more improbable than a hybrid Duc. As most digital renders go, the Ducati Ghost is an interesting design exercise, but without authentic Ducati engineering and design language, the concept feels like a ghost of a Ducati.
